Blooded, since the Obelisk, had many new experiences she would never had even known of if she had stayed in the mountains. The most recent experience was a strange flower and a pretty, sturdy and vivid doe that she had gotten close to since they were both crystal-marked by the obelisk, and well...yes, that certainly was a new experience she would never have seen coming. Truly, the Swamp was full of mysteries. That lovely doe was now pregnant.In following the mysteries of the Swamp, she had also heard of special kin with the ability to bless expectant parents. When she was young, she would have dismissed this, but she was now full of crystal shards and also anticipating lambs carried by another, so being an unbeliever was no longer an option. She sought a Legendary.
Yes, in line with hearing of mysterious things, she also got to know of a witch in a boggy part of the Swamp, blessed by the Motherfather to bless others. She had found the boggy part. She was wading around in ankle deep water and mud, searching for this witch.
Something else found Blooded, but it was not the witch. It was the witch's girlfriend bosom friend, as a caiman, tail flicking, making swirling rounds in the murky water. A shard totoma seemed like a dubious target, but Bitter End could be ambitious, and she swam quietly, closing in on her prey.
At an opportune time, she opened her toothy mouth, and seized an ankle.
Blooded jumped, then stepped straight upon the caiman's jaws, holding them shut. It struggled for a while before the glowing eyes looked up at her.
She raised another hoof to strike.
"Motherfather, Totoma can be vicious," Bitter End said as she shifted to a mare, pulling her head and currently incredibly muddy hair out from below Blooded's hooves.
Blooded looked at her impassively. The mysteries of the Swamp.
"Where's your offering?"
"My offering?"
"Offering!" She said, indignant, " a gift, a token, a trade! For your blessing from the witch!"
Blooded looked at her blankly.
Bitter End groaned, partly from the strain in her snout.
"Fine, well, you're lucky because you passed my test, else you'd have to go find something that - "
Blooded snapped a twig off a nearby bush and looked at her queryingly.
"That's way too low effort. Anyway I'll bless you."
Blooded looked cheered. This was going quite well. Dutifully, she offered the twig to the glowy-eyed legendary anyway. (Except she mostly flung it at her.)
The Motherfather worked in strange ways, and certainly it seemed there was someone for everyone. Bitter End sighed and asked anyway.
"Is there anything you'd like for your children?"
"Strong."
She said instantly, before looking a little thoughtful.
"No pain. For Slake, for them."
Bitter End smiled, because at this age, she could be a little sentimental. She closed her eyes and asked the Motherfather solemnly, and earnestly, in her head. To be honest, she still wasn't very sure how this worked, but presumably, it worked.
"It is done."
"Hm." Blooded murmured, appearing to question the efficacy of how this blessing was done, but she accepted it because the swamp was mysterious.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Bitter End said, and slid back into the waters as a caiman.
Blooded watched her go, and turned hoof. It was time for Blooded to return, and see if the blessing would be real for Slake.